During Daikis visit to Japan last month, he had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Tsuji, the representative of Crossfeed, at the Ritto Training Center. They exchanged views on horse feed practices in both Australia and Japan, allowing Daiki to gain valuable insights into how feed is administered in Japan.

While Japan imports much of its horse feed from Australia, meaning there are many similarities in what is used, one notable difference is the preference for soybean meal among Japanese trainers. This feed component is not as readily available in Australia or other countries, making it challenging to procure locally when Japanese horses travel abroad for races.

Daiki remarked, “My discussion with Mr. Tsuji gave me a new perspective on feed. While soybean meal isn’t as popular in Australia, it is rich in protein and could be particularly beneficial for fillies and other horses that tend to lose weight easily. Not everything that works in Japan will be successful, but I’m keen to incorporate the best aspects of Japanese practices into our feeding strategies.” This has led to new ideas on how to tailor feeding approaches to the specific needs of each horse.